Frictional clutch.



' PATENT-ED NOV. 28, 1905.

J. RIBPPEL. FRIGTIONAL CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

HHOINCE "ma omooo. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

J. RIEPPEL.

. PRIGTIONAL CLUTCH. 1 APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 11, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Invenpr Wings:

UNI E ST ES rA ENT OFFICE JOHN RIEPPEL, OF COWANESQUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRlCTlONAL CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 28, 1905'.

Application filed August 11, 1904. Serial No- 220,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 01in RIEPPEL, of (Iowanesque,in the county of Tioga and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Frictional Clutches; and I do hereby declarethe'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide improvements in that class offriction-clutches whose parts are so constructed and arranged that thebinding of the friction-shoes is effected by the swinging of the latteroutwardly from a common point by means which will firmly hold them intheir adjusted positions and which will allow them to readily return .totheir normal positions upon the release of a 7 pressure.

A further object is to provide improved means for readily compensatingfor wear without the necessity of dismantling theparts.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set line 7 7, Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the shaft, and 2 a band wheel orpulley which is shown as having a ring or flange 3 secured to itsspokes, but of considerably less diameter than the pulley. Upon theshaft is fitted a sleeve 4, whereon the pulley is held loosely by afixed collar 5. Upon this sleeve is secured a cross-piece 6, forming twolateral arms, upon each of the ends of which are pivoted the endsthrough which is passed a pivot-rod 9. One

sleevein its adjusted position. (See Fig. 3.) The flange of the othershoe is formed with an irregular orcam-like-surface 14:, designed toconform to a correspondingly-formed surface on the inner end of an adjusting-arm 15, pivoted on rod 9 between the contiguous ends of theadjacent pairs of shoes. These arms at their pivot ends on the sidesopposite to those formed vwith the cam or irregular surfaces are flat,was to fit flush against the flanged ends of sleeves 10. The pivotedends of the shoes are formed with openings to accommodate nutted rods orbolts 16, extending outwardly from the two lateral arms-.. At theirouter ends the shoeactuating arms 15 are pivotally connected by links 17to a collar 18, movable longitudinally of shaft 1, such collar carryingin its peripheral groove a split ring 19, to which a shifting-lever (notshown) may be connected. To maintain this adjusting-collar in properposition and guard against any lateral strain on the adjusting-arms, Iform such collar with an apertured flange 20 to accommodate a guide boltor rod 21, extending outwardly from the cross-piece 6.

22 designates springs mounted on each of the pivot-rods 9, which springsare compressed when the arms are turned to force the shoes outwardlyinto engagement with the ring or flange and the tendency of which is toimmediately withdraw the shoes from frictional engagement with the ringor flange once the pressure of the cam ends of the adjustingarms isreleased.

In practice the shoes are normally out of frictional engagement with thering or flange of the clutch-pulley. When it is desired to actuate theclutch, the collar 18 is moved outwardly, so asto turn theadjusting-arms on their pivots. These arms by reason of the cam-surfaceson their inner ends force the adjacent ends of the two pairs of shoesoutwardly, such shoes swinging or turning on their pivots, so that thecontact is had with the ring or flange under the radial movements of theshoes- In this way the clutching is readily and easily effected and alldanger of slipping is avoided. As soon as the collar 18 is movedinwardly the springs 22 at once cause the free ends of the two pairs ofshoes to move toward each other, and thus release the bite or hold onthe ring or flange. As the cam-surfaces wear, and likewise to compensatefor the wear of the engaging surfaces of the. shoes, the sleeves 10 arereadily turned so as to always secure a snug fit between the LOO flanges8 of the shoes and the pivot ends of the adjusting-arms.

Although I have specified a ring or flange secured to the spokes of apulley, it is obvious that the shoes may engage directly with thepulley-rim, the latter serving the same purpose as thefriction-ring 3.It is also manifest that any number of pairs of clutch-shoes may beemployed. In some instances I have used three pairs and in others fourpairs. Then, again, in small pulleys I have used but a single pair, asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which instance but one lateral arm isnecessary, the cross-piece being then extended in but one direction. Inthis arrangement I have shown the apertured flanges for the pivotrods 9as extended outwardly instead of inwardly, as in the other instances.Other changes and modifications may be made and still be within thescope of my invention.

The advantages of my invention are apparent and will be readilyappreciated by those skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the shoes pivoted eachat one end and free at the other, said shoes having at their free endsangularl-y-extended flanges, one flange of adjacent shoes having acam-surface, the other flange having clamping-jaws, a sleeve adjustablyheld by said jaws, a pivot-rod passed through said former flange andsaid sleeve, an adjustingarm mounted on said pivot-rod having on oneside a cam-surface to engage the corresponding surface of one of theflanges, its other side engaging the face of said adjustable sleeve, and

means for actuating said arm.

2. The combination with the shoes pivoted each at one end and free atthe other, said shoes having at their free ends angularly-extendedflanges, rods passed through said flanges, adjusting-arms mounted onsaid rods intermediate said flanges, means for actuating the arms, meansfor forcing said shoes outwardly as the arms are moved in one direction,and springs encircling said rods for returning said shoes to theirnormal positions when relieved of the pressure of said arms.

3. The combination with the sleeve and the lateral arms, of the shoesarranged in pairs, the shoes of each pair being pivoted at adjacent endsto said arms, said shoes at their outer ends having angularly-extendedflanges, the flange of one shoe having a cam-like surface, an adjustableflanged sleeve fitted in the flange of the other shoe, rods passedthrough adjacent flanges, springs on said rods, ad justing-arms mountedon said rods having each on one side a cam-like surface for coaetingwith the corresponding surface of the adjacent flange, anendwise-movable sleeve, and links connecting the latter to the outerends of said arms.

4. The combination with the cross-piece forming lateral arms, of theclutch-shoes arranged in pairs, the shoes of each pair being pivoted tosaid cross-piece, adjusting-arms fitted between the free ends ofadjacent shoes for forcing the latter outwardly, alongitudinally-movable sleeve to which said adjustingarms are connected,and a guide extended outwardly from said cross-piece, said collar havingan apertured flange to accommodate said guide.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN RIEPPEL.

Witnesses:

GEORGE M. RIEPPEL, JOHN RIEPPEL, Jr.

